Employers get hundreds of resumes every day, and for every one job that is posted, 118 people apply for it, making the job hunt all the more challenging. To make your resume stand out from the crowd, it needs to be competitive and yet concise with all the right keywords, capable of capturing the attention of your future employer. When coupled with a standout cover letter, your results-oriented, keyword-rich resume is likely to shine, allowing you to get your foot into the door to your first interview.

Cover Letter

Avoid sending a generic and overly brief cover letter. Customize the cover letter to reflect the job you are seeking. Start by including a standard business header with the employer’s name and address; make sure to include your contact information, as well, by creating your own letterhead on your computer. Date the cover letter. Then, proceed with an introduction that describes your qualities specific to the job at hand. For example, introduce yourself with some of your best accomplishments within the first few sentences. Example: “As the recipient of the Top Sales Achievement Award in 2012, I am eager to apply for the open account executive position in your sales department.” Discuss other strong skills or qualifications you possess, such as special training, education or length of tenure at other positions that could give you an edge over other applicants.

An Engaging Summary

Avoid the temptation to write an objective on your resume as that now is frowned upon, according to Vicki Bacal, owner of The Resume Specialist in St. Louis Park, Minn., in an article at Monster Careers. Start your resume with a summary instead; that is a friendlier approach to introducing yourself to a potential employer. Your summary should focus on your professional qualifications and briefly touch upon your experience. It’s the equivalent of a virtual handshake, so let your personality shine through -- but always remain professional and never get too personal. Information such as age, martial status or even hobbies are irrelevant when it comes to your job application. Employers don't care about your personal details, so stick with a professional summary for the strongest, most competitive resume.

List Results-Oriented Accomplishments

Avoid listing endless duties at your previous job. Focus on key accomplishments instead. Start thinking about some of the unique ideas or methods you contributed to your last job. For example, if you are a professional chef, think of any new recipes or techniques you introduced at your last restaurant and the positive results that occurred from its implementation. Example: “Increased revenue in the venue’s appetizer earnings by 20 percent after introducing my recipe for French baked brie and sourdough.” For those applying to sales positions, it is crucial to highlight your sales performance at previous positions to make your resume more competitive. Include year-to-date growth or overall increase in sales performance -- whichever number is greater. Continue to list accomplishments in bullet format followed by a brief, verb-oriented narrative of your tasks and responsibilities.

Don’t List Every Job

While it is ideal to be thorough on your resume, remember that the resume isn’t meant to tell your life story. In other words, don’t list every single job you have held and focus instead on relevance and stability. For example, avoid listing your summer waiter position at a local marina when applying for a bank manager position. However, if you spent significant time employed outside of your field in between professional jobs, then list that position to avoid an employment gap. Focus on the accomplishments and responsibilities relevant to the position you are applying for when describing previous jobs on your resume.

Keyword-Rich Content

Many employers use talent-management software to weed out up to 50 percent of all submitted resumes and cover letters before they even get to a hiring manager. Make sure your resume shines with keyword-rich content relevant to the job to which you are applying. Start developing your keyword list by looking at five to six job postings, looking for similarities in tasks, responsibilities and desired skill set. Then, insert those keywords naturally throughout your resume, being mindful not to oversaturate your content.